Buying trucks out of state

[MinnesotaFarmall]

I've been looking at trucks here and there and everything here in mn is rusted out. If it's not, it's way out of my budget. I'd like to find a 99-09 Ford or Dodge one ton manual. It seems those trucks are getting hard to find. What has been your experience on buying out of state, or sight unseen? How much and what way did you have it shipped? Or did you drive out and back? If it's possible thinking next summer I'm going to get real serious and get myself something nice instead of delapedated mn rust. Looks like Washington and oregon have real nice condition trucks with a decent price tag. If I can make a "vacation" out of it, it may be easier to convince my wife.

[supermechanic]

OK, TX, AZ, NM.

[acem]

Texas is a good source for rust free vehicles. Large population and no salt.

I live in Arkansas and our vehicles don't rust but were a small state so less selection.

Georgia and Florida should be good too. Not sure if rust is an issue in North Carolina.

[Lars (midessa)]

I acquired a 1991 F-350 7.3L, IDI, E4OD dually in October 2024 for $6,500.00. Original owner(I am #3), lived somewhere between Tucson and Phoenix.

[TroyDairy]

Imho dont do sight unseen.  Trucks are too much money now.

In wa and id that model is like eyebrows.  Everyone gots one....  in w wa that gen is everywhere esp.  And we dont use salt like you East of River.

https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/bellingham-2004-ford-f350-turbo-diesel/rQenMH5bRLGP92aFDKEaJv

[New Englander]

Some years ago I was looking for an extended cab long bed which are rare around me. Most trucks are 4 door with a 4 or 6 foot bed which I find useless.

Anyway, I found one on Ebay in PA. I recognized the dealer's name from when I was based in PHL. I bought a cheap ticket, they picked me up at the airport, the truck was as represented, money exchanged, and I drove it home on a temp plate.

When that truck finally rusted out I checked non rust dealer lots in southern cities when on trips. Things I noticed in AZ or TX is the vehicles had very high miles, 100-200k and paint and interior had suffered from the heat. I factored in what it would cost to drive a 14 mpg home or to have shipped and decided no. Luckily I stumbled upon a '13 K2500 EXT cab LB locally with very low miles. Guy must have bought it to take the trash out as the bed was barely scratched. I paid full list at a dealer and was happy to get it. As of today it still has less than 65k on it.

You may find what you want in the Pacific Northwest. Finding a manual transmission might be difficult as few buy them anymore. A retired highway dept. truck might be a choice. They spend most of their time driving slowly. Maybe look at DOT auctions.

[augercreek]

Beware of flood damage! I bought a 03 dodge that looked good but later all kinds of issues showed up! Car Fox said nothing about it being in a flood!

[MinnesotaFarmall]

I've looked down South quite a bit and seems like to me that the same vehicles are a bit more expensive than those in the northwest. Also, I worry about flood damage from vehicles in the south compared to being up north. Also has to be 4x4 seems like there's a lot of 2wd down South.

[560Dennis]

thank you for posting your question I live in north East Ohio and I’ve got the same problem .

Very good posted question.  I looked almost ten years to find a decent truck to replace my 98 ford . 
 

I would suggest the Phoenix area ,where I looked because my brother lives there and I would have a home base to work out of to searching and rescue .

i also looked in the Kansas City area where daughter lives .

good luck in your quest . Be patient also , it’s not easy . 

 

[560Dennis]

Forgot to say is reviewing the process of doing title work in Minnesota with your BMV for out of state trucks is a must do for me .

[vtfireman85]

You will pay more from a dealer, but all the rust free states have a dealer or several that make their money selling to people like you and I who refuse to buy local rust buckets. They are picking the cream of the crop and marketing them this way. 603 diesel is one locally that’s sourcing out of state, Watts Automotive in Provo is another, there’s another in PA Rim Rock or something like that. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from one of those type places, do your research, find a good dealer, then find a good truck. Most are experienced and accommodating handling out of state transactions. 

[stronger800]

I’ve  gotten 5 from out of state, they were new though, or a year old, all 6-9k cheaper than any local “deal”.  
with his good smart phones are, I wouldn’t hesitate. Have a guy send you 50 pics of  it. And tell him you’re ready to buy today, if the pics and the deal is right.  I actually got one $9,990 off msrp once, 500 miles away, , by telling the guy I’d give a deposit right now if his number was right.  Local dealers were only 3k off, with me standing in their showroom ready to buy.  If he could sell it for 10 grand off, tell me they could not have as well.  And on top of that, they delivered it without me asking

[acem]

Our trucks don't wear out. We find out what lasts down here. Gas burners are normally done by 250,000. Cummins run forever but the body, etc dont. I get parts from old gas trucks to keep em going.

My 93 D250 Cummins is a relatively low mileage for it's age. 350,000. I have a 91 D250 Cummins with over 600,000. Just keep repairing as needed.

Other diesels don't live as long as the Cummins, especially the 12V. 

[acem]

Dad did get 600,000 out of a 76 D100 slant 6 auto.

Engine every 150,000. Transmission every 200,000. Rear axle  300,000.

Finally the frame broke out where the steering box bolted up.

[Board Shortener Tom]

23 minutes ago, acem said:

Dad did get 600,000 out of a 76 D100 slant 6 auto.

Engine every 150,000. Transmission every 200,000. Rear axle  300,000.

Finally the frame broke out where the steering box bolted up.

All this talk about Mopars got my attention! I've driven them since 1986. My current 06 2500 4 dr long box has 270k on it. 5.7 hemi. It came from Texas and has been a good one! I don't drive it over 100 mph anymore though.  😂Doesn't pull anything like the 3 Cummins gen 1 trucks I had but that's OK.  

[stronger800]

I’ve plated the frame on one of those behind the steering box for a guy. 

[stronger800]

200k vehicles virtually don’t exist here in NY.  Guys have ten year old trucks with rotted out frames and 6-8 year old SUV’s junked for rotted out subframes . There’s a ‘18 gmc 1500 frame sitting on myroad guy just got it from down south, his is shot, he’s going to swap it, but bought another one, 26 denali, to drive while he does. 

[barkerwc4362]

In 19 when I went looking for my truck I ended up doing just the opposite of what you guys in the North are doing.  I live in South Alabama and a nice low mileage truck is really rare and expensive.  Most have been daily drivers with a ton of mileage and questionable maintenance.  I ended up getting a 15 GMC 2500HD SLE out of Baraboo, Wisconsin.  Had less than 29,000 miles and about $8,000 less than what a comparable truck with higher mileage was being listed for here.  Came with Double Cab, Z71 package, tow package, and Curts foldable goose neck.  Just what I wanted.  Wife and I flew to Wisconsin, dealership picked us up at the airport.  All in all a good experience.  We have bought 3 vehicles on line.  We mostly have used Car Gurus.  After I bought my truck on line, Libby wanted to show me how I found my truck and the next thing I know we are driving to Mobile with a hurricane coming ashore to buy her an SRX.  We found the current XT5 using Car Gurus when we replaced the SRX.  The XT5 was a 5 hour drive from here on the other side of Atlanta.  All the purchases have been painless.   

[ChaseIH]

I just went to Arizona last year and got a 2006 ford F350 6.0 crew cab long box lariat for 10k and it already had all the major problems fixed including new heads with receipts. I couldn’t find a rust free cab for my other 06 for less then 5k. I’d do it again in a heart beat. Made it 2500 miles home in 35 hours straight with me and dad driving in shifts. I had 250 in plane tickets and 500 in fuel.

[stronger800]

Picture? I’ve been saying forever, that I hope to do that someday.
For like a collectible ‘70s ford.  I know a guy that hauls specialty stuff like that, all across the country and Canada.  If he could do it whenever, it would be cheaper than the airplane tickets and fuel though 

[stronger800]

He makes a trip diagonally across the country every 3-4 months last I knew. I got his name from a member here actually.

 

total smoke show here in NY.  Hay won’t dry today.

[ChaseIH]

I should also add that I had 3 trucks lined up incase I was missing informed by the first seller and I was. The first truck Had blown head gaskets and by the time I had called the last two they were sold. Ended up finding that brown one on my aunts Facebook and drove it and bought it and was headed home 9 hours after landing in pheniox 

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

2 hours ago, stronger800 said:

200k vehicles virtually don’t exist here in NY.  Guys have ten year old trucks with rotted out frames and 6-8 year old SUV’s junked for rotted out subframes . There’s a ‘18 gmc 1500 frame sitting on myroad guy just got it from down south, his is shot, he’s going to swap it, but bought another one, 26 denali, to drive while he does. 

This area is loaded with trucks for sale with 400,000 miles with what I consider ridiculous asking prices. There are sellers who constantly claim that “A 7.3 will run forever”. Having worn out several, I know that is not the case. We have broken a lot of Ford truck frames, but we have never had one rot out. We do have winter here, and I guess it could happen, I just haven’t personally had it happen to me. If it did happen it would take 30 years or more. I have seen GM frames fail, but I think it’s because of poor designs. 

[stronger800]

They rust through just ahead of the cab, same places the tundras do.   I keep our trucks really really clean, but I’ve never kept one for more than 5-6 years

ChaseIH, that’s a clean truck.  Guys would want 20k all day for one that nice here in NY. We had an 06 6.0 new, I think I still have those wheels off it 
 

[acem]

Lots of 90s trucks still on the road here.

If you want something let me know. I can keep my eye out.

However you need to understand. I live in a ranching/redneck area. Old 4x4 trucks are pretty popular so go clean ones are not normally cheap. Most are ragged out.  Clean trucks are more available in urban areas like Dallas.

My last D250 Cummins came from south Florida. Only rust is on top of the Cab from salt in the air. It lived close to the coast. My brother found it for me.